When a Police Officer Dies

For those of you that don't know, yesterday we lost 2 fellow LEO's in the line of duty.  Officer Deriek W. Crouse and Deputy Rick Rhyne were both shot and killed yesterday.  Officer Crouse was shot during a traffic stop.  He was sitting in his car and a man unrelated to the traffic stop walked up and shot him in the head.  Deputy Rhyne was shot while arresting a man that had a warrant for outstanding child support. Both of the murderers later committed suicide.  Tell me, why couldn't they have just offed themselves in the beginning?!  Why did they need to take the lives of these men who were both husbands, fathers, brothers, and grandfathers??  The loss of a police officer hits me hard every time, and I can't help but think what if that had been my husband?  Our LEO family extends far beyond our department, town, or even state.  It's a bond few can, or will, ever understand.  

With that being said, I'd like for you to take a minute to jump over to A Life in Need of Change and read her post When a Police Officer Dies.  She takes the words right out of my mouth.  Below is a small excerpt from her post...

This is my open letter to those who point a gun at an officer of the law and shoot:

He’s a man. Just like you. He breathes in and out, sleeps, eats, laughs and He comes home to his wife and children each day. They want to keep it that way. Point a gun at him and you take away a husband, father, son, brother, man.
When he pulls you over, HE’S DOING HIS JOB.
When he writes you a ticket, HE’S DOING HIS JOB.
When he pulls you out of a burning car on the side of the road where no one else can hear your cries, HE’S DOING HIS JOB.
When he risks his life to keep you safe, HE’S DOING HIS JOB.
When his wife lets him walk out the door every day, leaving his family to protect yours, HE’S DOING HIS JOB.
When he works overnight so you can sleep in safety, HE’S DOING HIS JOB.
When he crouches behind cars with an assault rifle looking for a madman, HE’S DOING HIS JOB.
When he pulls over your son for driving drunk, HE’S DOING HIS JOB (& keeping other people alive).
When he arrests you for drug use, HE’S DOING HIS JOB.
When he’s hunting you because you broke the law, HE’S DOING HIS JOB.
HE’S DOING HIS JOB

Thank a police officer for DOING HIS JOB today, because he might die for you tomorrow…